Visitors to Sharjah Safari will need a keen eye to spot one of the 600 or so animals wandering the property, for the park is four times the size of Monaco.
And that is exactly the spirit of discovery the new attraction’s designers are hoping for in a bid to replicate a real African safari.
Visitors to the Albridi Reserve, almost an hour from Dubai in Al Dhaid City, are in for a treat – as long as they have the patience and an eagle eye to look out for lions, giraffe and rhino roaming the vast landscape.
The 800-hectare park claims to be the largest outside Africa, and has been seven years in the making. It will welcome its first paying visitors this weekend.
Developed by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah in partnership with Maguari-One Zoo and Wildlife Consultants, Sharjah Safari will feature 12 different environments that represent the life and terrain in Africa.
It is the new home for animals and birds with a special section for giraffes, 15 of which were released in the wild to adapt to the safari atmosphere, and another section for rhinos and lions.
Depending on the package visitors pay for, there are protected areas where they can leave their vehicles and visit crocodiles and lions on foot.
A bronze ticket for a three-hour walking tour of the park with a guide costs Dh40, and just Dh15 for under 12s.
A silver ticket offers one seat on a six-hour bus tour of the park for over 12s at Dh120. Children under 12 pay just Dh50 for a silver ticket, while groups of 20 or more pay Dh100 each.
For a ride around the park in a luxury car, visitors can buy a gold ticket for Dh275, Dh120 for under 12s or Dh1,500 for a group of six people.
